m their vanquisht Souls, that the Success }
Might look like Conscience, though 'tis nothing less. }

For this Design no Head nor Tongue so well,
As that of the profound _Achitophel_.
How, great _Achitophel_! his Hand, his Tongue!
_Babylons_ Mortal Foe; he who so long
With haughty Sullenness, and scornful Lowr,
Had loath'd false Gods, and Arbitrary pow'r.
'Gainst _Baal_ no Combatant more fierce than he;
For _Israels_ asserted Liberty,
No Man more bold; with generous Rage enflam'd,
Against the old ensnaring Test declaim'd.
Beside, he bore a most peculiar Hate
To sleeping Pilots, all Earth-clods of State.
None more abhorr'd the Sycophant Buffoon,
And Parasite, th'excrescence of a Throne;
Creatures who their creating Sun disgrace,
A Brood more abject than _Niles_ Slime-born Race.
Such was the Brave _Achitophel_; a Mind,
(If but the Heart and Face were of a kind)
So far from being by one base Thought deprav'd,
That sure half ten such Souls had _Sodom_ sav'd.
Here _Baals_ Cabal _Achitophel_ survey'd,
And dasht with wonder, half despairing said,
Is this the Hand that _Absolon_ must Crown,
The Founder of his Temples, Palace, Throne?
This, This the mighty Convert we must make?
Gods, h'has a Soul not all our Arts can shake.

At this a nicer graver Head stept out,
And with this Language chid their groundless Doubt:
For shame, no more; what is't that frights you thus?
Is it his Hatred of our God, and us,
Makes him so formidable in your Eye?
Or is't his Wit, Sense, Honour, Bravery?
Give him a thousand Virtues more, and plant
Them round him like a Wall of Adamant,
Strong as the Gates of Heaven; we'll reach his Heart:
Cheer, cheer, my Friends, I've found one Mortal part.
For he has _Pride_, a vast insatiate _Pride_,
Kind Stark, he's vulnerable on that side.
Pride that made Angels fall, and pride that hurl'd
Entayl'd Destruction through a ruin'd World.
_Adam_ from Pride to Disobedience ran:
To be like Gods, made a lost wretched Man.
There, there, my Sons, let our pour'd strength all fly:
For some bold Tempter now to rap him high,
From Pinnacles to Mountain Top, and show
The gaudy Glories of the World below.

At which the Consult came to this Design,
To work him by a kind of Touch Divine.
To raise some holy Spright to do the Feat.
Nothing like Dreams and Visions to the Great.
Did not a little Witch of _Endor_ bring
A Visionary Seer t'a cheated King?
And shall their greater Magick want Success,
Their more